US-based researchers are likely to play an increasingly prominent role in European funding schemes, sector leaders have said, although it’s “too soon to say” whether scholars fleeing the Trump administration will remain in Europe for the long term.

American representation in some schemes has already increased. Earlier this month, the European Research Council (ERC) announced the recipients of its Synergy Grants, which aim to “foster collaboration between outstanding researchers” by offering teams of two to four academics up to €10 million (£8.8 million) over six years. In 2024, 12 projects involving US-based grantees received a Synergy Grant; this year, the total rose to 21.

National and European governments have made efforts to recruit scientists fleeing the US, with the European Union introducing the  and the ERC doubling its funding for relocating scientists to set up European laboratories.

Lidia Borrell-Damián, secretary general of Science Europe, told 51�Թ� that an increase in US-based researchers applying for European grants or jobs “can be expected”, with surveys indicating that there is a “a substantial proportion of US-based researchers who say that they would like to emigrate from the US”.

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Rodrigo Martins, president of the European Academy of Sciences, shared a similar view. “In the past, most of the Americans applying to ERC grants wouldn’t come to Europe. It was a way to show their own institutions how good they are, and to improve their positions in the US.”

“Today, it’s completely different. They’re coming to Europe,” he said.

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At present, it is “still too soon to say whether the initial influx in Europe will consolidate as a trend in the coming months or years”, Borrell-Damián said. Moreover, “we don’t know whether the moves that we are witnessing will be short-term or long-term”.

“We must take into account that it takes a while to organise researchers and their families to move away from their home country,” she added.

Recruiting scientists from the US, Borrell-Damián said, should be seen as “strengthening Europe’s overall research and innovation ecosystem” rather than increasing competition for grants. “Europe’s goal is not to engage in a ‘talent race’ but to foster an environment where researchers from all backgrounds can contribute to addressing global challenges together,” she said.

“It’s essential to have policies in place that promote a variety of mobility schemes, encompassing both short-term and long-term opportunities, and covering all academic disciplines,” she stressed. “The key is to ensure a diverse array of mobility options is available, which cover the diversity of situations and needs of researchers across Europe.”

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“Ensuring fair, sustainable, and attractive career conditions for researchers within Europe remains the best way to retain and attract talent, while maintaining a level playing field for all.”

Martins, meanwhile, called on the EU to expand its funding schemes to welcome talented scientists and their existing teams. “What we need is the genius and the team,” he said. “We need to give this carrot to the great researchers in the US, saying if you come to Europe, we won’t only support you but we’ll also support your team.”

“We have a lot of great resources,” he added. “We should open the doors to all the talent that wants to come and make us a prosperous area in the future.”

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com